In a significant endorsement of modern political processes, the constituency office of Senator Abdul’aziz Yari has publicly commended the ongoing nationwide electronic membership registration drive by Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The move signals a pivotal shift towards data-driven party management in Zamfara State and beyond.
Hon. Sha’ayau Sarkinfawa, the Coordinator for the Zamfara West Senatorial District Constituency Office, articulated the support in Gusau, framing the exercise as a foundational step for internal democracy. “The APC e-registration is a wise political initiative imperative to upgrade the data of progressive party members electorally,” Sarkinfawa stated. This perspective highlights a growing recognition within Nigerian politics that accurate, verifiable membership data is no longer a luxury but a necessity for credible party operations and electoral planning.
The transition from manual, paper-based registers to a centralized digital database addresses long-standing challenges of ghost members, duplication, and opaque membership figures that have plagued Nigerian political parties. For the APC, which aims to capture details across all 147 political wards in Zamfara, the exercise promises to transform a traditionally chaotic process into one characterized by accuracy, transparency, and integrity. A credible register is the first line of defense against internal disputes over candidate nominations and party representation.
Sarkinfawa’s commendation also extends to the national leadership, citing President Bola Tinubu’s role in advancing the party’s stature. Furthermore, he pointed to the collaborative political platform built by Senator Yari and the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, as a bedrock for the exercise’s anticipated success in the state. This underscores a critical success factor for such national tech-driven initiatives: their effectiveness hinges on robust pre-existing political structures and buy-in from local power brokers who can mobilize grassroots participation.
The call for members to “participate fully and ensure they are captured electronically” is more than routine mobilization. It is an acknowledgment that a party’s strength in the digital age is quantified by its verified, active database. This data becomes invaluable for targeted campaigning, resource allocation, and gauging genuine support ahead of crucial elections like the forthcoming 2027 General Elections.
While the exercise is a technical process, its implications are profoundly political. By lauding the initiative, Senator Yari’s office is aligning with a modernizing faction within the APC that views institutional credibility as key to sustained dominance. As Sarkinfawa concluded, expecting “tremendous success,” the true test will be in the implementation—whether this digital leap can indeed sanitize the membership base and strengthen the APC’s foundation against the turbulent winds of Nigerian politics.
Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani
